The Goodbye
by Ellenarnia
Summary: A little AU for the third movie, when Doc goes to say goodbye to Clara.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note: The summary for this was probably rubbish, sorry, but this is a little AU for when Doc goes to say goodbye to Clara. I think we need more Doc and Clara fic's. It's a nice ship and it isn't recognised as much as it should be. Also, I need a better title. Any suggestions, please review or PM me with suggestions.**

 **The Goodbye**

Emmett Brown walked slowly towards Clara Clayton's door. He had no idea what he was going to say to her or if he was going to be able to figure out what he needed to say. Marty had been right, he could hardly tell Clara that he had to go back to the future. She would never believe him. As he approached the door he looked through the window and spotted her working at her desk.

" _God, she looks beautiful." He thought_

He was here for a reason though. He might as well get it over with. Taking a deep breath he knocked on the door.

"It's Emmett, Clara." He called out to her, and the door opened instantly

"Emmett, won't you come in?" she seemed happy to see him

"No, I better not…" he trailed off

"What's wrong?" she asked

"I've come to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" she seemed confused "Where are you going?"

"I'm going away and well I'm afraid I'll never see you again." He managed to say

"Emmett?" her confusion grew as she watched the man in front of her trying to explain

"Clara, I want you to know that I care about you deeply but I realise I don't belong here and I have to go back where I came from." He started his speech

"And where might that be?"

"I can't tell you." He insisted

"Well, wherever you're going take me with you."

"I can't Clara. I wish I didn't have to be this way but just believe me when I tell you that I'll never forget you and I love you."

"I don't understand what you're trying to say."

"I don't think there's any way you can understand it."

"Please Emmett, please, I have to know. If you sincerely do love me then tell me the truth." She pleaded with him

"All right then." _It's now or never,_ he thought "I'm from the future. I came here in a time machine that I invented and tomorrow I have to go back to the year 1985."

"Yes, Emmett. I do understand." She started softly "I understand, because you know, I'm partial to the writings of Jules Verne, you concocted those mendacities in order to take advantage of me." Her hand flew towards him and made sharp contact with his face "Oh! I've heard some whoppers in my day but the fact that you'd expect me to entertain a notion like that is so insulting and degrading!" she marched towards the door but turned back, just before she was going to shut it "All you had to say was I don't love you and I don't want to see you anymore. That at least would have been respectful!" Clara shouted before slamming the door

"But that's not the truth." He called through the door

He could hear her sobbing from inside and it pained him to know that he was the cause of her anguish. His back hit the door and he sank down to sit on her porch. He had gone and ruined it. Emmett had at least, liked to have parted with her on good terms. Now though, he had gone and broken her heart and his own. He felt sleep weighing on his eyelids and ended up closing his eyes, promising that it would only be for 2 minutes.

...

Clara had sunk down onto her bed in tears. He couldn't even tell her the truth. How could she have trusted a man who didn't tell her the truth? Now she wished that someone else would have rescued her from falling into the ravine. If she had just had the sense to walk to the town. It would have saved all this heart ache she had been through. It hurt that he would lie to her. She thought that for once she had mattered to someone. They had so much in common. Now she wasn't sure that they had anything in common. If he had lied to her about this time travelling, then what else had he lied to her about?

She sat up and dried her tears, her sadness replaced with anger. She threw a coat on and marched towards the door, if she rode fast enough she could still catch him and demand a proper explanation. As she opened the door, she gasped and jumped back, when Emmett Brown fell through the doorway. Before her sense returned to her, all she did was stare, but when she had collected herself she managed to pull him inside.

…

He groaned as he opened his eyes, sleeping against that door was one of the worst decisions he had made. Suddenly he realised that he wasn't sitting against a door, instead he was lying in a bed and staring at a ceiling. He sat up and looked around. There was a candle by the bed and the gas lamps were flickering on a low light. The last thing he remembered was falling asleep against Clara's door. How did he end up here?

The door opened and Clara walked in. As she entered she avoided his eye and set a glass of water on the table beside the bed.

"You've been out for hours." She pointed to the water "Drink."

"Clara-"

"Just drink the water," She cut him off "Then get some sleep. You had a large bruise on the back of your head from where you fell against the floor."

"Clara, please," he grabbed her arm to stop her leaving "let me explain properly. I'll tell you the truth. I can show you the truth."

She turned back to him.

"The question is, what is the truth?" she asked

"Exactly what I told you! Just let me show you and explain properly." He pleaded with her

"How are you ever going to explain, or make me understand? You said yourself that there wasn't a way I could understand it."

"Well I can at least try. Even if you don't understand at least you won't hate me like you do now. I'll know that I haven't lied to you."

She sat down on the end of the bed. "I don't hate you," she told him softly

She lightly touched the bruise on his head and he flinched away from her hand.

"That'll take time to heal. Rest for a little while." She took hold of his shoulders and pushed him back onto the bed

"Let me at least say I'm sorry." He implored

"Apologise, once you've had a rest." Clara repeated. With that she went to leave, but turned back at the final moment, "Remember, we have to get you back to the future tomorrow."

 **What do we think? Stop there , or would you like a little more.**


	2. Chapter 2

**The vote says another chapter, so here we are. Thank you, those who reviewed. Also, before someone sues me over copyright, Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or anything to do with Back to the Future.**

 **Chapter 2**

Emmett Brown woke with a start. He felt groggy as he shook off sleep. Recognising the room around him, he sat up quickly. Everything from last night came back to him. Looking out the window he realised it was still dark.

" _Must still be early,"_ he thought

Opening the door, he went back into sitting room. Seeing Clara asleep in her chair at the desk, he felt a pang of sadness. He went up to her and gently lifted her from the chair. She stirred slightly in his arms before he set her down on the sofa. He placed a light kiss on her forehead, then pulled up a chair and sat next to her as she slept.

…

Clara woke with a smile on her face, which promptly disappeared when she saw the man who was sitting above her.

"Morning," he said quietly "nice sleep?"

"Yes." She sat up quickly, and moved around the house

"Clara.." he started

"You should go." She cut him off "Mr Eastwood will be wondering where you are?" she distracted him. Sadly her efforts were for nothing.

"I'm not going to leave because you tell me too." He insisted

"Really? You were all for leaving last night." Her anger was starting to come out

"That's because I was going to let you go, without a fight." He told her "Now, I don't think that I can."

"Why?"

"You are owed an explanation. I involved you in this so you get an explanation and then you will know the whole truth."

"Alright then, explain!"

"I can't just try and explain." He tried to tell her "I have to show you."

"How?"

"I'll take you to the time machine." He said simply

"And if I don't understand?" she asked

"I'll help you understand."

She smiled at this.

"Right then. Let me get dressed."

Watching her walk towards her bedroom, he thought how he would actually explain. It would initially be difficult for her to understand, he knew that but hopefully her knowledge of science would prevail. He was also hopeful that he wouldn't lose her when he told her the truth.

…

"So, this is it."

Emmett had brought her to the sight, where he and Marty had placed the Delorean on the tracks last night. There was silence for a moment. He looked across to Clara, who stood there staring.

"Clara?" he looked at her with a smile "What do you think?"

"I'm not sure what to say." She squeaked

"Well, it is a little bit confusing at first but as I explain, hopefully you'll understand."

"One question that I have…." She trailed off

"Yes?" he asked

"Why is it on the railway tracks?"

"Ahh, that isn't normal. We had to fix it onto the railway tracks. You see the only way that it can travel in time is if it gets up to 88 miles per hour and the problem is we are out of gas." He explained

"Gas?" she looked confused

"Like coal but it powers automobiles."

She looked at him pointedly.

"Automobiles are like carriages without horses that are powered by an engine which burns fuel. Does that make sense in anyway?" he asked

"A little." She told him

Suddenly the sound of hoofs distracted the pair and they turned to see Marty riding towards them. He quickly dismounted from the horse.

"Doc, where you been?" he then noticed Clara "What's she doing here?"

"There are too many things to explain, right now Marty."

"Isn't this Mr Eastwood?" Clara put in

"Well, my real name is Marty McFly." Marty told her, then turned to Doc "You have told her haven't you?"

"He's told me that you're time travellers." She tells him "Is there anything else I need to know? The one thing I want to know is why anybody lied about your names."

"Only Marty lied about his name and for good reason." Doc reassured her, when she gave him a scathing look "Do you remember Seamus and Maggie McFly?"

There was a moment of silence as Clara made the connection.

"They're all related?" she gasped

Marty simply nodded.

"Right, it's starting to make sense now."

"Really? Oh Clara, I'm so glad!" Doc smiled with relief

"If it helps ma'am, I didn't understand it at first, when I first started time travelling. Trust me, it gets confusing." Marty assured her

"So the automobile, takes you forward and back in time and you've come from 1985, yes." She summarised

"Somehow you understand this. You really are amazing." Doc said with admiration

"I am a science teacher Emmett. I do have a small understanding of physics." Clara huffed in anger "Give me a little bit of credit."

"Clara I didn't mean it like that. I just know that Marty took time to understand so I wanted to know if you really did."

There was a small silence, before Clara spoke again.

"What's the future like?"

Both Doc and Marty looked at each other.

"It's certainly different from 1885." Marty started "For one we have automobiles."

"And time machines? Do you have time machines?" she asked

"Time machines definitely don't exist, well they shouldn't anyway." He paused for a moment "Uhh, Ma'am why don't you have look, while I have a little talk with Doc."

Clara was happy to look at the time machine while Marty dragged Doc off to a safe distance for them to talk.

"What' happening Doc? You said we shouldn't take her to the future with us but now she knows, so what are we meant to do?" Marty hissed

"I don't know, what to do. It all came out, when I wanted to tell her and then I ended up falling asleep and, ohh it's a long story." Doc dismissed it

"You didn't think about this?"

"Marty! You know how it is when you're in love. If you had to explain this to Jennifer, how would you tell her?" he tried to make him see

"God, this is heavy."

"I know, I know but I don't know how to get us out of this mess."

"Well would there be any harm in taking her back to the future?" Marty asked

"It depends. If she has a significant future-"

"Well we've already changed the future, by saving her from falling into Clay- Shonash ravine." He pointed out "How can it do any more harm."

"By taking, Clara to the future with us we may be creating another alternative timeline, to the one that we've already created. Then again, you could be right. It might not make the timeline any worse."

"Come on Doc, she can surely come with us. Remember what I told you when I was first in 1955 and I told you about Jennifer. How I had to get back to her. Well now this is the same but for you. Can you deny that you're in love with her?" he questioned "You said just last night that you were in love with her and that you were going to stay."

"Alright then," Doc said with a smile "I'll tell her that she can come with us."

He went over to her, gently touching her arm to catch her attention.

"Clara, you know that you asked about the future?"

"Yes, why?" she looked slightly confused at the question

"Well Marty and I have had a little talk and we thought that perhaps, only if you want to of course, you don't have to accept-"he started to waffle

"Emmett," she interrupted him "just say what you want to say."

"We'd like you to come with us, to the future."

 **There shall be more but again it may take more time than anticipated. Please review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Right I promised you, there would be more and so there is. On we go, because I'll waffle if I continue.**

Chapter 3 

Clara looked at them in shock. Go to the future with them? Leave all she had here, her teaching job, her parents, her brother, the town she had just got to know, all to go to the future. A place that she had never been and would not understand or make sense of for a while, it might not ever make sense. She was shaken from her thoughts by a voice cutting through.

"Clara? Are you alright?" Doc came to her side and held her arms to keep her upright "So what do you say?"

"The future?" she finally asked, finding her voice

"Yes."

"Will it be very different?"

"It will, yes," he told her "but it is good. We have better healthcare, better transport, better housing, better education-"

"Better education?" she looked at him pointedly

There was a silence, before Marty cleared his throat.

"She's a teacher, Doc." He whispered to her

"Oh," it suddenly dawned on him "I didn't mean to say, I mean…I didn't mean to imply that…." He trailed off

"Just stop now." She advised "You couldn't give us a minute, could you Mr McFly?"

"Oh, yeah sure." Marty started to back away "I'll just go check the tracks." He mumbled as he walked off

Emmett and Clara were left standing next to the DeLorean in a comfortable silence.

"So, will you come with us?" he asked her

"I want to Emmett, I really do but if it's so different to this time then how would I fit in? How would I know what to do, what to say, what would I do for a job? If the education is better then what I know will be practically useless."

"It hasn't changed that much," he explained "yes, there are a few new theories, that you won't recognise but you'll learn."

"What about everything else, hmm?" she asked, her expression saying that it wouldn't end well

"We can sort out everything else." He insisted "Please, Clara. Come with us."

"I'm sorry. I would have liked to but it would be so different and I wouldn't fit in."

"Then I'll be staying here with you." he said stubbornly "It always was my favourite time period."

"Oh no, Emmett. I can't ask you to sacrifice you're life in the future to stay here. You go with Marty, back to 1985 and just try to forget about me." She finished, starting to walk away, but he stopped her

"I can't do that Clara, especially now you know the truth. Either we go to the future _together_ or we stay here, in 1885, _together_. Either way, I'm not leaving you." he stopped her, as she went to interrupt "That is final. Clara, I've told you once and if I have to then I will keep telling you. I love you and even though you push me away and tell me to go without you, I won't."

After he had finished his speech there was a pause. Clara had her head bowed and was looking away from him.

"Clara?"

She turned to him, with a small smile on her face.

"Are you always this stubborn?"

"Not most of the time, but when it comes to time travel, I do." He said seriously "Why are you laughing?" he asked, after she giggled

"Why do you get your own way?" she laughed

"Because I made the rules. Now, please say you'll come with us."

"Give me one good reason." She asked, be her smile he knew she was sold, this was just a bit of fun

"Because, I make the rules." He laughed with her

"Very clever." She smiled "I think I'd miss you."

"Miss me?" he looked confused, yet she kept smiling

"Yes, I'd miss you." she repeated "That is, if I let you go back to the future on your own."

"Does that mean….." he trailed off, the grin that had left moments ago, starting to return

"Yes. I'll come with you!"

Before she could say another word he pulled her into a hug, keeping her close to him.

"Oh, Clara, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank goodness for you." he kissed her forehead

"Did you really mean what you said?" she asked

"Which bit?"

"That you love me and you won't leave without me?" Clara asked timidly

"Yes, completely true." He insisted "Honestly we shouldn't be bending the rules but, for you I don't care. You're special enough to me, that I wouldn't want to be apart from you."

"So, let's go to the future then." She finished excitedly

"Right!" he looked over to Marty "Marty! We're taking Clara with us!"

"Alright, Doc," Marty shouted "Fine by me!"

Clara had a wide smile, which matched Doc's.

"Is there anything that you'd like to take with you to the future Clara?" he asked her

"Would it be alright if we took my telescope with us?"

"We can always get you a telescope in the future." He told her, as she laughed

"No silly, I don't want to take it with me for the fact that it's just a telescope." She smiled at his confusion "I want to take it with me because it has special memories attached to it for me. It reminds me of my father," she paused for a moment "and of us."

Doc blushed at the memory of that night, as Clara just laughed.

"Is it alright if I ride back and get it?" she asked, snapping him out of his thoughts

"Oh, yes of course. Do you want me to come with you?" he watched as she mounted the horse

"No it's fine, I won't be long."

"Be back before 8'o'clock." He instructed, yet all she did was blow him a kiss before she rode off

…

As Clara arrived back at her home, she gave a sad smile, thinking that she would never see it again, after they left. It was a shame, she had begun to feel quiet at home here. It had been a place where she had found acceptance with the people.

She opened the door and walked into the house. Glancing at the clock she saw that it was only 7:30 so she had time. She slowly walked around the house and picked up a few things, remembering the memories that she had attached to them. It would be hard to let all of this go. She went to her room and took her telescope from under her bed.

Clara turned around, when she heard the creak of a floorboard but then turned back again, seeing nothing. She smoothed a hand along the wooden casing, thinking of the day her father gave it to her. Again she heard a creak, so whipped around. What she saw made her blood run cold. Standing there, with a gun against her head, was Bufford Tannen.

 **Dun, dun dun! Review and the next chapter might get here faster.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Another chapter, which is hopefully here faster than the last one. Little bit of abuse.**

 **Chapter 4**

Marty stood next to the DeLorean as he watched Doc pace.

"Would you stop!" he shouted "You're making me nervous. She probably just got delayed or something."

"No, no. Clara isn't the kind of person who's late." He protested

"You've known her for three days, Doc!"

"Marty, I know her, I love her! This is not like her." Doc told him "Something's wrong, I can feel it."

"What? Really, she's probably fine. She might be a few minutes late but nothing else. It won't be serious." He tried, as he watched Doc mount his horse

"I can't take the risk Marty. She means too much for me and I wouldn't put her at risk for any reason. Are you coming or not?" he called as he rode off

"Ah, Jesus." Marty muttered as he rode after Doc

…

Clara was sat on her bed, with her hands held behind her back by Tannen's idiots. Each time she tried to shift away from their grips her wrists were twisted further behind her.

"Where's that Blacksmith?" Tannen asked

"I don't know." She told him

"That doesn't work with me." He threatened angrily "Where is he, and where is that little runt?"

"I told you once and I'll tell you a thousand times, I don't know!" she shouted, getting her a slap to the face

She gasped in pain, as she fell to the side. Tannen grabbed her by the arm and pushed her against the wall.

"Where are they?" he demanded

"I can't tell you!" she cried out "Please, just stop."

"If you won't tell me, then I'll have to make you." he looked at his friends and laughed

Clara gasped as she caught his meaning.

"Please," she pleaded with him weakly

"Something to say?" he asked

"I can't tell you what I don't know."

"Well that means, we'll just have to stay slowly, torture it out of you." Tannen told her menacingly

"Why do you think I would know? For you information I haven't seen them since the dance on Saturday." Clara said defiantly

"Oh yeah? Well it's a shame that I don't believe you, isn't it?"

"Oh, well it's a shame that you've forgotten I could do this." She said quietly, before kicking him in the shin

He reeled back and she pushed him against the wall. His friends ran to him and as they were distracted Clara managed to run out of the room. She nearly made it to the door but a large force made her fall to the floor and was knocked out.

…

As Doc and Marty arrived outside the house, all seemed normal.

"See Doc, nothing out of ordinary."

"It can't be. It doesn't feel right. There's something wrong." He dismounted "Come on."

The pair walked, with caution, towards Clara's home. They slowly eased the door open, yet found nothing out of the ordinary as they entered.

"Clara?" Doc called out "Are you here?"

There was no response so they kept walking through the rooms. A creak came from the bedroom and they both reeled around at the sound. Marty drew his gun and pointed it at the door. There was silence for a moment as they listened for any sign of life. Again they heard a small creak of a floorboard. Suddenly the door was flung open and Tannen came running out at them.

"I knew you'd come." He spoke triumphantly

"Where's Clara?" Doc asked

On not receiving a reply, he took Tannen by the lapels of his coat and pushed him against the wall.

"Where is she?" he asked again

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Tannen said, knowing it would wind them up

"Marty, the gun please." Marty hesitated, to hand it over

"This isn't the way, Doc. If you kill him now this could change the future." He tried to explain

"Right now, that really doesn't matter to me Marty." Doc ground out, snatching the gun from Tannen's belt. He threw the gun to Marty "Keep him there!" he said before stalking into the bedroom to see if Tannen had imprisoned her there. What he was greeted with, was not what he had expected. He saw Clara curled up in the corner, with a large gash to her head, which was still bleeding and rips in her dress.

He approached her slowly, so not to spook her and leaned down in front of her. He carefully reached out to her, taking her hand. She flinched away as he tried to pull her closer.

"Clara," he spoke softly "It's Emmett. It's alright my dear, you're safe."

She looked up to confirm it was him and suddenly grabbed his arms.

"You have to go." She whispered "Tannen, he can't find you or Marty. He'll kill you."

"Clara, it's alright. Tannen can't hurt you anymore. Marty has him at gunpoint. We have to get you cleaned up though, first. You have a horrible gash on your head."

She touched her forehead lightly and promptly pulled her hand back, as pain shot through the gash.

"There's a little medical box under the bed." She pointed

He took the box from under the bed and started to bandage her up.

…

"Could you do runt?" Tannen asked Marty out of the blue

There was a silence as Marty considered the question. He knew that it would change the future and perhaps completely change his and his parent's lives. If this man had hurt his friends though, he might have been able to put a gun to that man's head. Would he be able to pull the trigger though? It would depend on how badly, he supposed, and if he had time to think about it.

"If you've hurt her," he started "it won't be, you have to worry about."

"Oh, really? What's that old blacksmith gonna do?"

"Oh, he won't have to do anything." Marty explained "Marshall Strickland will only have to be told of what you've done and he'll have you locked up or better lynched. Perhaps if you're lucky you'll have some vigilante's do it for you."

"I've done much worse and I've got away with it. Why do you think that this time will be any different?"

"I'm here, that's why." Marty summed up, pushing him out the front door "Come on Tannen. It's time you face up to what you've done."

 **There may be another chapter and an epilogue. Please review if you have the time.**


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